Appearance
Fairly pale for a cream, deep amber fading through yellow to a pale rim with the slightest hint of green, legs.
Nose
Rich and sweet, very light oloroso with only hints of PX, and slightly savoury, almost pickled walnut oxidised notes. There are hints of raisin, yeast autolysis and damp barrels as well as a certain rather old fashioned seriousness. Looks as if the wine has been further aged after blending - quite homogeneous.
Palate
Sweet on entry and quite light (not really as full bodied as the label says), quite mellow, attractive amontillado/oloroso flavours rather obscured by sweetness, but, well, it's a sweet Sherry! A classic (the original!) cream, long complex and interesting.
Comments
Along with Tio Pepe, the world's best known Sherry. HBC (as it is known in the trade) has in recent times come in a Bristol Blue bottle, presumably to reflect its Bristol heritage, though it is an odd colour in which to present a Sherry. The blue glass was a Bristol tradition, starting in the early 18th C and running out of steam in the early 20th C, but has since seen some revival. The blue comes from Cobalt Oxide. HBC was originally further matured, blended and bottled in Bristol using wines imported from Jerez, but has for some time now been completely produced and bottled in Jerez. Finos, Amontillados, Olorosos and 20% PX are all in the mix, giving a fairly unique style. It contains 135g/l sugars. In an attempt to sell more presumably, the label advises one to drink it chilled or mix it with lemonade and slices of fruit. Pleasant though that is, to do so would ruin a very fine Sherry.
Price
Around £ 10.00, widely available.
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